Business as Usual
by HeroismInACan
Summary: "Noctis looked toward the ceiling with a strong scowl, spotting the speaker situated in a nearby corner. The song irritated him, but it wasn't just the tone of it that grated him so. The lyrics were just as bad, as if they were taunting him. He got enough crap from his friends. He didn't need some dumb song adding to the pile." Modern AU.
1. A Wonderful Christmas

Chapter 1 – A Wonderful Christmas

* * *

" _. . . Siiimply, haaaving, a wonderful Christmas time . . ._ "

Noctis looked toward the ceiling with a strong scowl, spotting the speaker situated in a nearby corner. The song irritated him, but it wasn't just the tone of it that grated him so. The lyrics were just as bad, as if they were taunting him. He got enough crap from his friends. He didn't need some dumb song adding to the pile.

So far, his Christmas, or rather Christmas Eve, consisted of avoiding his father and trying to maintain a level head about the sudden events that had put his life in a chokehold. His friends, who were sitting in a booth just a little way from the restroom, were of little comfort to him. Usually they served as great distractions, quickly putting his mind at ease with their casual banter, but the incessant teasing was beginning to take its toll on the young man.

"Some Christmas this turned out to be." Noctis sighed, returning his gaze to the stall door to his right. He had excused himself from dinner to take refuge in the restroom, knowing that his friends wouldn't follow. However, he knew what they would be thinking since he was taking a while to return, and he wasn't so sure if he could handle that level of mocking on top of everything else that night. He already had a throb forming in his skull, and he knew that as the minutes ticked by, that throb would only increase.

With a heavy sigh, the young man pushed off the wall and unlocked the stall door, leaving the safety of the dim space and giving his hands a quick wash. He exited the restroom and made way for the booth where the remainder of his party resided.

He slid into place beside Prompto, avoiding looking at anyone as he grabbed his glass of cola and sipped, nose crinkling in mild disgust from the watered-down flavor his tongue met with. It was then he noticed how unusually quiet the table was. Noctis looked up to see three pairs of eyes glued to him, or four if you counted eyeglasses.

"What?" He snapped.

Gladiolus offered a partial smile in response; whereas Prompto said the thing he was dreading.

"Sure took awhile, eh?" The talkative blond chuckled, picking up a chicken tender and smothering it in barbecue sauce. Noctis had half a thought to smother Prompto, but was quickly pulled from that thought by a voice he hadn't heard since their food initially arrived.

"Leave the poor lad alone, Prompto." Ignis scolded, his unamused stare clear even through the light effecting his glasses.

With a huff, the blond did as asked and busied his mouth with eating rather than chatting.

Although Ignis got on Prompto about pestering him, that didn't mean Noctis got off the hook entirely.

"So, when _are_ you gonna do it, Noct? It's been how long now? Since you were kids, right?" Gladiolus brought up the dreaded topic, resting his elbows on the table and leaning forward just a bit. The fabric covering his torso strained over his shoulders from the motion. Noctis wondered why the bigger man insisted on wearing such tight-fitting clothing when he could get something that actually fit his build. He supposed that he should be thankful though, for the cold weather, at least. Gladiolus had a habit of not covering his torso at all when the warmer months were upon them.

Noctis didn't bother hiding his discontent this time around. "We've known each other since we were kids, but we've only been together since high school."

"And how many years does that make it? Seven? Eight?" The big guy smirked.

"None of your damn business." Noctis growled, voice low.

"It's Christmas, must we argue about this? Besides, Gladio, it is his decision on when to pop the question. Don't force his hand." Ignis adjusted his glasses and leaned back in the booth, giving the biggest of the four a level stare.

Ignis was always the "mom friend" of the group, and although he did join in on the teasing a lot of the time, Noctis was thankful to have him on his side even for just this moment. Maybe the brunet saw how irritated he was upon excusing himself to the restroom. He wouldn't hold it passed Ignis to know the _exact_ reason why he had left in the first place.

Gladiolus crossed his arms with a grunt, giving a final stare at Noctis before relenting and staring down at his mostly empty plate. He picked at a few stray fries but overall kept his mouth shut.

Noctis kept the scowl on his face even as the remainder of the meal played out. When the bill came, Ignis was quick to snatch it before Noctis could even comprehend what had happened.

"I've got it." Came the bespectacled man's reply upon noticing Noctis' incredulous stare. When Noctis continued to look, Ignis sighed. "It's a holiday. Consider this an extension of our gift to you."

"So shouldn't I be paying for you guys then?" The dark haired young man moved to snatch the bill again, but Ignis was quicker than he seemed and held it just out of reach.

"And what would make you think that?" He raised an eyebrow.

Noctis leaned back in the booth, crossing his arms and staring at the brunet with a frown. "As an extension of my gift to all of you. Money's not an issue."

"Neither is money an issue for us." Gladiolus chimed in.

"Hey," Prompto frowned, "Speak for yourselves."

"Sorry, Prompt." The bigger man answered with a frown, voice softer.

The blond perked up immediately. "All cool. And hey, Noct, we know that things have been a little weird lately. Between your dad pushing you to take over the company soon on top of the merger and your relationship with Luna, we totally get it. So, just, let us do this for you, alright? It's the least we can do."

Noctis understood where his friends were coming from, he truly did, but he couldn't help the sudden bubble of rage that flooded his system. It consumed him, and he was helpless to stop it.

"You get it?" He repeated slowly, tone questionable as he balled his hands into fists and placed them on the table. His knuckles started to fade white as his glare turned seething. "Oh, right, you understand so that's why you tease me?" He laughed, but the tone wasn't friendly. "I'm nervous as hell about asking Luna to marry me. What if she doesn't want marriage? What if she says no and that's that? And I'm worried about taking over the company. My dad sees so much in me that I don't. I don't think I can do it. I'm not ready. It's a lot to handle and he just doesn't see that I'm not ready for this. And maybe I'm not ready for marriage, either. I don't know anymore. And then on top of that the merger of the companies is happening soon, so not only have _you guys_ been pressuring me to marry Luna, but my _dad_ has too so the face of the company looks better. There's so much change happening all at once, and you're fucking jokes and taunts don't help a damn thing! So _the least_ you all could do would be to shut up and drop it." Noctis shut his eyes and loosened his hands, a shaky breath leaving his lips as he slumped back into the booth. The anger left him just as swiftly as it had come.

"Please. Please just drop it." His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and had it not been that most of the restaurant had quieted due to the outburst, the rest of his party wouldn't have heard them spoken.

A long, eerie silence befell the table even when the rest of the restaurant resumed its pace.

"Noct, we're sorry." Ignis was the first to break the quiet, his gaze gentle and appearance apologetic.

Noctis averted his eyes to the floor, crossing his arms and resisting the urge to storm out of the establishment to be alone. That was how he usually dealt with his problems. He would run away and hide and wait until he was calm enough to resurface, but he now understood that that was no way to handle things, excluding his brief excursion to the restroom earlier.

However, he still bottled everything up until he exploded, which wasn't healthy either, but one-step at a time, right?

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Gladiolus grunted, giving the dark-haired man an unmoving stare that Noctis could feel boring into his skull.

"Yeah, man, why didn't you tell us to knock it off?" Prompto chirped, fidgeting in place as he often did when nervous or worried.

With a sigh, Noctis finally returned his gaze to his group of friends, focusing mostly on Gladiolus. "Because you assholes are stubborn, and even if I said to stop you'd keep going anyway. I thought I could ignore it long enough until I was home again, but that was stupid. When I go home I have to deal with my dad anyway, so why not explode here in public, right?"

"Why explode at all? If you'd just talk about your damn feelings then you wouldn't have this problem, would you?" Gladiolus countered, gaze stern.

Noctis met that gaze with a scowl. "Why do you always have to get on me like this? Why can't you just—"

"Enough," Ignis bellowed, causing Noctis to shut his mouth and three sets of eyes to stare at the brunet. "I have had enough of this nonsense. Gladiolus, Prompto, tone down the taunts and anything of the sort. Give the poor lad some space. Although trivial to you perhaps, these are life changing events that are happening in Noct's life."

Gladiolus opened his mouth to make a comeback, but was quickly silenced by a raised pointer finger and Ignis continuing his speech. "And Noct. You need to stop holding things in. If something is bothering you, talk to us. If you're getting tired of our teasing, then please, by all means, tell us to shove it. I would like to have a peaceful holiday this year."

Noctis grumbled in agreement, while Gladiolus nodded his head and turned his gaze away.

"Good. Now, let us pay the bill and get moving. We've made a big enough scene." Ignis scooted out of the booth and stood, making his way to the bar to pay for their meals right away.

The remaining three slowly followed suit, but before anyone stepped foot outdoors, they bundled up to fight off the awaiting cold. However, despite being cozy in a thick jacket and drab scarf, Noctis couldn't help the sharp intake of breath when the frigid air slapped him in the face.

"It's freakin' _cold_ out here." Prompto loudly announced, earning a grumble from Noctis as the group made haste for the Regalia.

Ignis was the designated driver that night, as he usually was, and Prompto quickly called shotgun. That left Noctis and Gladiolus to the back seat, which was fine by them.

Once inside with the top on and windows up, Ignis cranked up the heat and let the car sit idle for a few minutes before finally backing out and making the trek to Noctis' apartment.

This night may have started out as a pleasure, quickly turned for the worse and ended with him grumpy, but he did have to admit that he loved his friends. They only wanted the best for him, and although that mostly included an absurd amount of teasing when he wanted nothing but peace, he couldn't hate them for it. It was simply in their nature.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Updated December 4, 2017!

I glanced through this and made a few minor edits. I'm going to be doing the same with chapter 2, and I'll be updating soon with the final chapter so be on the look out! I'm also going to be posting this on my AO3, same username as I have on here, so if reading over there is more your style, it'll be posted soon!

Also, I still cannot stand this song, but thankfully I no longer work retail, so I'm not subjected to the crap that is Christmas music non-stop. No offense to those who actually like this music, but I can't stand it.

* * *

I had this idea the other day when I visited Applebee's. I had to use the restroom, and while I was in there this annoying song started to play almost immediately. The first thought that came to mind was someone on Christmas or Christmas Eve being in a restaurant/somewhere for the holidays when they didn't want to be and then this song starts to play as if taunting them. I wasn't sure who to make the characters, but considering I've been playing _Final Fantasy XV_ , and this seemed appropriate for Noctis, well . . .

Anyway, I don't know the name of the song, but I only use the one line so whatever. It mostly served as a writing prompt. I hear it a lot at work though, and it's now become grating to the ears.

Oh, and one last thing. Since this is a modern AU, I decided on making Noctis the heir to some massive company/corporation. I also decided to make Luna an heir as well but to a smaller company. Their marriage would signify a merger of the two companies, although they had been dating for years and have known each other since they were children. Noctis wants to pop the question not out of "responsibility" to the company, but because he loves Luna and feels that it may be time.


	2. Can't Catch a Break

Chapter 2 – Can't Catch a Break

* * *

"It's good to see you, Noctis. I'm sorry I couldn't make it for Christmas." Lunafreya wore an apologetic smile as she entered the warm apartment and stood near the small kitchen table with her hands clasped in front of her. Her hair was pulled back in an intricate braid and warm leggings and a thick coat accompanied her white dress.

Noctis closed the gap between them when she started to shrug out of her coat, and he took the item for her and placed it on the back of a nearby chair. He offered her a smile in return as well as a seat at the table, which was cluttered with loose papers and dishes from his quick breakfast just hours earlier. He hadn't had much time to tidy up before her arrival.

"You know how I feel about the holidays, Luna. I'm just happy that you're here now." And with an act of bravery, the young man leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek. When it came to Lunafreya, he had always been shy. He didn't want to mess anything up, and so he tread carefully whenever she was involved. He let her control the pace of the relationship, not wanting to force her into anything she may be uncomfortable with, but he was planning to take the reins soon enough. He had a plan, after all.

"How was your Christmas?" She tilted her head to the side, the smile on her face reaching her eyes as she took the offered seat.

Noctis sat in the chair across from her, leaning his elbows on the table. He scowled lightly, the memory bringing about a bitter taste in his mouth. "Obnoxious, but I managed. Dad was a pain as usual and dinner with him Christmas day was tense and awkward. Christmas Eve wasn't any better. How was yours?"

"I would have dealt with awkward anything just to be with you this Christmas. Sitting in a tense room with you and your father sounds much nicer than what I went through." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "At least you didn't have to sit through a long dinner with various CEOs while my father and brother partook in the drab conversations. Aren't the holidays supposed to be about family and friends? I wish I would have snuck out to be with you."

"You should have come Christmas Eve at least then. You would have gotten the full experience of family and friends," Noctis laughed, reaching a hand across the table and offering her his palm. "Sorry to hear that your holiday sucked though."

With a grin, she covered his hand with her own and intertwined their fingers. "It's all right. I wish that I could have come with you and your friends though, but I had a meeting with one of the women we're partnered with. I couldn't reschedule."

Noctis nodded in understanding, knowing that his girlfriend was always preoccupied with work duties although she tried her best to see him often. One would think that with a brother and father managing the company she'd have more time.

"Well, to make up for you not being able to show, how's lunch sound?" Noctis readjusted their hands into a better position as he stood from the table, keeping his eyes on her.

She smiled, almost shyly, as she rose from her seat and lessened the space between them. "That sounds wonderful, Noctis."

With a smile, the young man made for the door, remembering to grab his wallet and keys before recalling Luna's coat on the chair. He turned quickly to fetch it for her before she could lift a finger, and he helped her into it despite her gentle protests. Soon they were out the door and into the cold in no time. The Regalia waited for them, and after opening the door for her and closing it once she was inside, he jogged around to the driver's side.

When prompted where to eat, Luna answered simply with a diner that was just a few blocks down from his apartment building.

Noctis agreed and set their course, and soon they were nestled in a booth side-by-side and shrugging their coats off. A waiter came and went, taking their orders with him, which left the two alone in the quiet murmur of the quaint establishment.

"So, how's business?" Noctis asked casually, although he had an unsettling feeling that he may have just opened a can of worms. Neither of their companies were easy to handle, but Luna seemed to take on more responsibility than she should have needed to. On the other side of the spectrum, Noctis should have taken _more_ responsibility, but, for lack of a better word, he was lazy and didn't care. He didn't want to run a huge corporation. If he had it his way, he'd spend all of his time fishing, camping with the guys, and being with Luna, but one can't always get what he wants.

"The usual, honestly." Luna sighed, thanking their waiter when be dropped by to deposit her lemonade and his cola. She took a small sip before continuing. "But nothing I can't handle."

Noctis followed her actions and took a drink from his soda. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulders, drawing her close and earning a small smile in return for the gesture. "You do too much for that place. Why doesn't your brother do more?"

"Ravus?" She laughed, a sound that normally would ease Noctis but made him unsure at that moment. "He does very little, honestly, other than complain."

Noctis chose not to push that topic any further, he didn't know her brother all that well, and he was thankful when Luna moved the conversation forward.

"How's business for _you_?" She turned her head to look at him.

His expression turned dark quickly. "Oh, you know, the usual—Dad pushing me to be a proper heir to the company, the merger, and the fact that I should probably do more to help."

Luna hummed in response and leaned into him. "You look stressed about it. Why does becoming the new CEO bother you so much?"

"Because I don't think I'm ready."

"But you are, or rather, will be as soon as the title passes to you proper." Luna adjusted just a bit, but when the waiter returned with their food, she sat up completely and busied her hands with spreading a napkin across her lap.

Noctis moved his arm away and nodded at the waiter with a tight smile, thanking him before the man disappeared again.

The remainder of the meal continued with idle chatter about miscellaneous things, but it was during that time that Noctis started to feel nervous.

 _It was time_.

As soon as Luna placed her napkin on the table and pushed her plate away, Noctis knew it was now or never. He stood suddenly, grabbing her attention and a questionable stare with it, and then felt around his pockets until he removed the object he sought after. He turned, meeting her gaze with a shy smile, and just as he started to bow on one knee, his cellphone began blaring its ring tone and caused him to jump.

He nearly dropped what he held, but he managed to keep it as he retrieved his phone with his other hand. He recognized the caller ID, but it brought a frown to his face. He glanced at Luna, pocketing the other object as he dipped his head in apology and answered the call. This had better be important.

"Hello?"

"Noctis. I'm sorry to call you so suddenly and to tell you this over the phone, but—"

"Cor, what is this about?"

"Your father. He—" The man on the other end paused, and Noctis heard him let out a shaky sigh. Quietly, he said, "He's passed away, Noct."

"W-what?" The young man almost let his phone drop from his hand, but somehow he managed to keep it in place. He barely heard Cor telling him that it was a heart attack and that he should come by the hospital to sort out paperwork.

Noctis just wanted to retreat to the shadows and never come out.

"Noctis? Noctis, darling, what's wrong? What's happened?" Luna was at his side, her hands resting on his shoulder and arm. She was staring at him, concern clouding her features, and Noctis simply frowned at her. He didn't like making her worry. The expression didn't suit her.

He hung up on Cor, knowing that he'd be dealing with the man's anger later, but he couldn't care less at that moment. Not much made sense to him right then, honestly. He suddenly felt much smaller in the world, as if a piece of him broke off and fell into the void to be lost for eternity.

Not only did he lose his father, the remaining piece of blood family he had left, but he also lost his chance to propose to Luna. He felt like a rug had been pulled out from under him. He was slipping, falling, and he had to sit down before he did so in real life.

After taking a seat in the booth, he looked at her, such a sadness suddenly overwhelming him as he saw the gentle expression on her features. The news started to sink in then, his brain grasping those few spoken words and the monumental meaning behind them.

With a heavy heart, Noctis fought passed the lump in his throat. "My father, he—he passed away."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Updated December 4, 2017!

Another revision done to this story. Not much changed, but a few edits here and there so it flowed better. Some sentences were a little wonky haha

Thanks for reading and hope you like it! Chapter 3, the final one, will hopefully be up soon!


	3. Weight of the World

Chapter 3 – Weight of the World

* * *

Noctis couldn't handle it anymore. The gloom of the church was suffocating, the sympathetic glances were unappreciated, and the hungry stares were aggravating.

He didn't care that this was a ceremony to honor his fallen father. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed out. He needed fresh air. He needed the sunlight to blot out the shadows, if only for a fleeting moment.

He stood abruptly; earning him confused stares in replace of the previous ones as he hurriedly made for the door.

Once outside, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, holding his face toward the sun to let the rays warm him. It was the first second of true comfort he felt since that phone call cast his life into a deeper spiral that was unraveling faster than he could collect the pieces.

He didn't know how long he stood out there on the porch steps of the church, but when he felt a soft touch on his arm he was jarred from his reverie and thrown back into the present. He looked down, seeing Luna standing beside him but not looking at him. She didn't say anything, choosing to match his current mood and simply stand in contemplation, which Noctis was thankful for.

 _She_ was the ever-valiant light that kept his darkness at bay. The sunlight and the warmth it offered was fleeting, but Luna was a stable source of comfort. Whenever she was around, he couldn't be tainted by the sorrow he felt, from the stress of his life and the pressures of his role. She was the princess to his prince, the woman he wanted to marry and love and have by his side as a permanent fixture.

Despite the woeful reasons for the day, Luna was as radiant as ever, even when outfitted in black. Her dress was long, kissing the toes of her moderate heels and teasing the ground with about an inch of space. The color was a combination of black layered with grays and whites and various laces that made the simple cut of the garment less noticeable.

She was beautiful, and for a moment, he was consumed with her and only her, feeling a brief second of absolute peace.

And then it shattered when the door of the church burst open and Gladiolus approached them. His appearance was unhappy, and the vibe he emitted was bordering on unbridled rage.

He didn't give Noctis a chance to even _think_ of what he wanted to say before the pin was removed and the grenade thrown.

"Is that how you're going to act? Huh? Storming out in the middle of the ceremony? Can't you show your father some respect? He deserves that much at least, especially in the afterlife since he didn't get much from you while still breathing." The bigger man had his fists clenched at his sides, knuckles rivaling the color of milk and eyes piercing.

Noctis turned, facing Gladiolus and causing Luna to shift at his side. "Didn't you see all the hungry stares from people in my father's company? From _my_ company? The king has fallen, and the prince is to take the throne, but all they see is a child in the shadow of a great man."

"You're a child, all right." Gladiolus grumbled.

That earned the bigger man a darkened glare. "Am I not allowed to grieve, Gladiolus? Am I not allowed to grieve on my own, in my own way? I just lost my father, the only blood family I had left."

"Grieve how you want, but don't disrupt a ceremony in honor of your father just to stand out here. They need you in there. We need you in there. You're now the head of the company, Noctis. You need to be a beacon of light and show them that you're here for them. That you'll run the company as your father taught you and keep the flow going no matter the circumstances."

It was then Luna chose to intervene, drawing Noctis' attention from Gladiolus. "In some sense he's right, but—" She held up a hand to prevent the young man from countering her statement. "I know how hard this is on you. The ceremony, in all honesty, is just a show. All these people who showed are here for only a handful of reasons, and not all of those are kind ones. I saw the looks. I saw the doubt, the hurt, the greed, but don't let that bother you. They do not matter. You matter, we matter." She leaned up and pecked a kiss on his cheek. "Would you like to go home?"

Noctis shook his head, taking Luna's hand into his own, finding his resolve. "I'll stay awhile longer, but I'm lingering in the back. I'm not making that walk back to the front again."

With an understanding smile, Luna lead Noctis back inside, passing Gladiolus without so much as a glance.

With lips drawn in a tight line, the bigger man followed the couple inside, biting his tongue to keep any further comments to himself.

The remainder of the ceremony went as normal, and a few people gave speeches. The priest tried to get Noctis to speak, but he refused. He didn't think he could handle doing that now, and the last thing he was going to do was breakdown in front of a room of mostly strangers—strangers who were starving vultures waiting to peck at his weaknesses.

Soon enough, Noctis was out on the steps again, watching as people filed out of the church. Some stopped and offered apologies; others made eye contact and simply nodded, while most just walked on.

"What will you do now, Luna?" Noctis looked at the woman standing beside him.

She met his gaze. "Stay with you, unless you'd rather me leave."

"No. Stay, please. You're more of a comfort than the guys." He laughed, a light taste of humor dusting his words.

Luna smiled and slipped her arm through his. "Shall we, then?"

He nodded and lead the way down the stairs, heading for the Regalia parked close by.

Just as he helped his girlfriend into the car and closed the door, a voice stilled him.

"Just gonna leave, huh?"

Noctis turned to see Gladiolus behind the vehicle, Prompto and Ignis on either side of him.

"Yeah, dude. You do remember that you're our ride, right?" Prompto added in, rubbing at his neck nervously. The tension between the "prince" and his "guard" was thick enough to slice with a knife, and Prompto may be dense, but even he could feel the weight of it in the air.

Noctis had forgotten about that. With everything else going on, he didn't think of his friends. All he wanted to do was go home and be with no one but Luna. She was a security to him that no one could replace, not even his three best friends.

"Right." Noctis said slowly, running a hand through his hair and casting his eyes to the ground.

Luna had turned in her seat, hearing the entire exchange because the top of the car was down, and offered up a reply. "Well, come on then. Get in. We can all fit, right?"

Noctis turned to look at her, and she offered a smile to him and then to the rest of the party.

Ignis took driver, causing Noctis to sit in the back. Luna switched with Gladiolus to sit in the middle, holding Noctis' hand for comfort. Prompto sat on her other side, camera out, snapping shots of the church quickly before the car roared to life, and they left. The blond also stole a few quick shots of his current company, earning a smile from Luna, indifference from Ignis, and scowls from the remaining two.

Noctis and Gladio may have different ideas, different ways of dealing with stress and pressure and sadness, but in the end, the big guy did have a different perspective that Noctis hadn't thought of—usually.

They would continue to avoid each other while making snide comments periodically, but eventually they'd make up and things would return to normal.

Noctis was just thankful that he has his friends and Luna by his side. Four people who would always have his back just like he'd always have theirs, no matter the circumstances.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** And here we are! After a year of starting this thing, which began as a one-shot prompted by an annoying Christmas song I kept hearing at work, I finally managed to get the inspiration back to finish it! I'm talking like this story is twenty chapters long haha

I probably won't be writing anymore for this particular AU, but you never know. I'm a little more wrapped up in my _Jak and Daxter_ fic at the moment, _Battle Born_ , which is looking to be thirty-five chapters right now, so any other stories will probably remain one-shots until I finish up that monster of a story.

Thanks for reading! And thanks for being patient!


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